


It's The People That Make A Home

by theprincessed



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical themes, Established Relationship, Explosions, Fire, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Medical Trauma, Misunderstandings, October Stunt, Roblivion, Romantic Gestures, Soap Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 15:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7320187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert returns from a meeting to Emmerdale to find the village on fire. In the chaos, he learns that Aaron and Liv are in danger.</p>
<p>Are they dead or alive? </p>
<p>Will Robert try to save his family himself? </p>
<p>And will Robert and Aaron (and Liv) get their happily ever after?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Is that summary soapy enough for you??? Hahahaha!
> 
> So, I had this idea planned out since we started hearing potential spoilers for the week that's coming up with Rakesh and the October Super Soap Week or whatever Producer!Iain is calling it lol. I kinda combined both a bit and came up with this. I was inspired by seeing a picture on Twitter of apparently the set designers creating a brick facade that looked similar to The Woolpack (but is actually probably Mill Cottage). It's funny how something so little can spark 10k of fic! Also, this thing has two 'chapters' because it's the fic + an epilogue. I'm giving you the choice of soap and additional soap _cheese_. ;)
> 
> Title from a line Robert said to Connor at Home Farm in September 2015 because I thought it was rather apt.
> 
> I feel so rusty with Robron now, so I hope this is alright!! Enjoy x

Robert's close to being late for a meeting with a client of Home James because apparently he can't expect Nicola to pick up the early morning slack with a gang of kids at her house and a struggling Jimmy. It's not as if Robert has his own home life to deal with, as Liv pushes past him to the microwave and Aaron tips his cereal bowl to his mouth with half-lidded, sleepy eyes.

“You'll just have to go without me, sorry,” he says, tucking a folder under one arm and reaching for a piece of toast with the other.

Aaron swallows, his face set into grumpy. “This is our future, Robert, and not just us either. Liv's as well.”

“I know and if it was any other day I'd gladly have Nicola go instead, but they've said they only want to deal with me,”

“How nice for you,” Aaron mutters under his breath and rolls his eyes when Robert knocks back the last of his coffee and leans down to press a crumby kiss to his lips.

“I trust you. Always. I listen to your opinion, remember.” he smiles and knows it'll mean he's forgiven.

Once Robert leaves, Aaron slurps the last of the milk in his bowl out of spite, even though Robert's not there to pull his usual disgusted face. Liv's smirk tells him that she knows what he's thinking and he shoos her away to school, the other half of his family getting on with their day. For Aaron, he has the morning off from the scrapyard to view one of Rakesh's flats as a potential place to make their home, which is why he's so disappointed that Robert can't be with him. However, when he turns up to meet Rakesh, Liv is already standing outside, her eyes glued to her phone.

“What're you doin' here? You're supposed to be in school,”

She looks up and smirks. “Don't I get a say in what place you choose? I mean, I am gonna be living here too.” 

Aaron rolls his eyes, but says nothing to contradict her because she has a point and there's a feeling in his chest as he misses Robert and his Opinions that makes him think that Liv might be a great replacement. Not wanting to argue in front of Rakesh, he lets the issue go and the three of them move into one of the flats to take a look. It's modern enough to appease Robert's desire for somewhere with less cluttered rooms than The Woolpack, but Aaron knows that it'll be just as easy to make it into a proper home for him and Liv.

“A couple of things still need to be dealt with, but it's mostly cosmetic,” Rakesh explains and leads them through every room with hope in his eyes, before Liv stops in one of the bare spaces and sniffs loudly.

“This room smells weird,” she declares tactlessly.

“Liv!” Aaron scolds as Rakesh looks between them, crestfallen from another deal he thinks has fallen through, so Aaron pitches his voice low to mutter, “They're new and unfamiliar. You'll get used to it.”

Soon after, he and Rakesh come to an agreement that he'll be touch once he's had a chance to talk things over with Robert and shoves Liv out of the door to go for a spot of lunch at the pub. None of them take much notice of the unprotected wiring hanging from one of the light switches.

Chas sighs when she sees Aaron come back from the flat viewing with Liv in tow, but bites her tongue from actually saying anything as she's learning to leave him make his own decisions these days, so she silently watches on as they traipse into the back to sweet-talk Vic into making them food.

With Noah at school and Charity and Chas busy with front of house, it's nice to sit in the back room and tuck into pie and chips as they have another flick through photos of the flats on Aaron's laptop, until Liv's phone alerts her to a text message.

“Can't you have one hour away from that thing?” he complains. “I thought this was important to you. Important enough to bunk off school,”

Liv shakes her head and goes over to the coffee table where she left it, figuring it's probably just Gabby responding to their plans for the evening and so Aaron can wait two seconds for her to reply when a strange smell like the one from the flats makes her pause.

“Do you smell that?”

Aaron snorts, “No. Maybe you should pick ya nose to clear it,”

Liv pulls a face, but any sort of quip back to her brother is interrupted suddenly by a loud bang and the commotion of footsteps and raised voices in the bar and beyond. They both jump in fright, but the moment passes with nothing else happening. Confused, Aaron puts down his cutlery and steps away from the table before all hell breaks loose. One second he's looking across at an equally quizzical Liv and the next there is another tremendous noise, like something exploding, and the most intense heat he's ever felt that knocks him clean off his feet. 

Aaron groggily comes to with distant screaming and shouting in his ears and no recollection of closing his eyes. If that isn't enough to make him think there's something seriously wrong, the lightest breeze through his hair is. He automatically tries to move to see what's going on and quickly realises that he's not just laying down, he's _trapped_. 

“Liv?” he croaks as his first real thought. “Liv!”

The heavy pressure on his torso and feet has Aaron pinned to the ground and, when there's worryingly no noise coming from Liv, he looks around wildly at a room full of debris, tipping his head backwards to look for something or someone to help and being faced with the direct view of outside. Where there was once more walls and a back door, there's now nothing but rubble and the cloying scent of smoke. He coughs then hisses a breath through his teeth because it hurts and panic starts to rise. From his prone position, he can see a corner of Rakesh's flats and how a lot of them are already claimed by sky-high flames, which accounts for the first explosion. Scared of the fire that's broken out and licking closer to the exposed half-structure of the pub, Aaron knows he has to get Liv to safety. He spares a thought for his mum, Charity and Vic before mentally pushing it away to stay strong for his little sister. He promised Sandra he'd look after her and that's what he's going to do. Aaron manages to pull his arms free and grits his teeth as he pushes on the concrete slab that's pressing down on his chest, groaning with the effort that hasn't changed very much.

“Liv!” he calls again, his arms falling away. His side and his legs hurt and he can feel his limbs growing weaker and his eyelids heavier. “Liv,” he whispers drowsily, not knowing whether she's alive or dead.

\----

On the way home, Robert connects to the mp3s stored on his phone. The meeting went incredibly well, so he's in the mood for something upbeat. He skips the first strains of Taylor Swift's _Style_ with a smile, remembering the teasing Aaron put him through the last time he jumped in Robert's car to go for a drive, and settles for something more random and rockier, frankly more Aaron's taste than his. It's bearable for about two seconds before the crashing drums gets on his nerves and he leans in to switch to the radio instead, catching a snippet of a news report.

“ - of a fire at converted flats in the village of Emmerdale. It is not clear at this time if there are any casualties, but we will keep you updated - ”

Robert tunes out the voice of the news anchor as his car rides into the village and the chaos up ahead. The sight of the flames engulfing Rakesh's development of flats throws Robert back to last year's terrible events of the helicopter crash and instead of parking round the back of The Woolpack, he slams the brakes on and stops at the side of the road. Fire has always been his biggest phobia since his mother's death as it makes him freeze and the fright crawl up to his throat, choking him like the smoke, but sometimes it also kicks him into gear. It had happened the day of him and Andy playing chicken again, where he'd almost been willing to leave him in his crashed car, but being his brother no matter what and watching the flames spark to life right in front of him had been enough to force him into saving Andy from a death as horrific as their mother's. 

Now, Robert quickly gets out of his car and runs to where he can see a few recognisable faces are standing outside the pub, staring at the raging destruction happening nearby. He squeezes past many other chattering, curious residents to get to Victoria and Diane, with a worried Priya and a distraught Rakesh, hands on his head, next to them. However, out of the corner of his eyes, Robert spots two firemen acting as a barrier in front of a yelling Chas and Charity desperately trying to hold onto her.

“Chas! Charity! Hey!” he calls, “What's happened? Where's Aaron?”

Chas turns and his stomach drops because she looks a mess, mascara and tear tracks all down her face. “Oh Robert,” she sobs, wobbling on her feet so much that Charity has to tighten her grip. “The fire – the smoke – we came out to see and then – then - ”

He puts his hand on Chas' shoulder, desperate to know more, but Charity looks up and finishes for her, voice lowered. “We heard a loud bang. Aaron hasn't come out.”

The Woolpack creaks loudly and Robert guesses that the smoke all around it is not just from the fire being tackled by the firemen, but he doesn't care if it becomes an inferno because _Aaron is still inside_! With another anguished sob from her, Robert sidesteps Chas in distress to push through the man-made cordon but they're adamant that he can't be let in.

“Sir – sir, please listen, it's too dangerous,” one of them says, hands clamped to Robert's shoulders. 

“I don't care! My boyfriend's still in there!” he exclaims.

“I'm sorry, we're doing everything we can.”

Robert knows he can't just watch and wait for the emergency services to give up, so he thinks fast and whirls round to leave, ignoring Chas and Charity calling him back. He's sneaked halfway around the perimeter when he hears Victoria's voice and her footsteps behind him.

“Robert? Robert, what're you gonna do? Answer me, please!”

Despite the need to keep moving, to not waste any more time, he grabs her by the arms and pins her with his stare. “Aaron's still in there, Vic. I have to save him.” She seems lost for words at the news. He notices the extra firemen milling around and the prepared ambulance crew. “Keep them distracted, make a nuisance of yourself, I just need to get in the pub. Look after Diane,” he looks at Adam by her side, “look after her.” He leans in to press a kiss to his sister's forehead. “I love you, so so much, Vic. You're the person I wish I was.” 

Her hand connects with his forearm as he spins away but he manages to shake her off and doesn't look back, even though it hurts to hear her start to cry into Adam's chest. 

Robert sneaks round to the rear of the pub and stops short to cough into his sleeve. Outside the ground is wet as a burst pipe in the middle of a pile of rubble spurts out water through the acrid scent of smoke and building dust. The scene is a mess with half the pub crumbled to the floor. Where there once was a back door and windows, it's now holes and exploded, scattered stone, wood and glass. The fire in the flats is still blazing, flames so high and creeping ever closer along the street and it makes him halt again before the thought of Aaron has him grit his teeth and plough forward. With no real way in, Robert climbs and crawls over the concrete and tries to avoid the water, the wires and bat the smoke away with his arm. He's coughing more now, but he fights through it to vaguely land in the centre of the pub, thinking it most likely Aaron was in the backroom when it happened. He has such poor visibility that just when he's getting somewhere close, he bumps into a fireman in full gear.

“Sir! Sir, you must leave now!” he shouts, covered by his mask. “Calmly but quickly come with me,”

“No! Get off!” Robert shrugs off the touch to his shoulder and finds the strength to shove him. It's not the most sensible thing he's done and he's pretty sure he feels the pub shake as he pins the fireman up against the first solid surface he sees, hands fisted in his heavy, dusty jacket. “I need to find my family,” he growls, eyes dark with anger and dismay.

Then he hears it, a faint voice shakily calling his name and he instantly knows who it is. He rushes towards the sound, trying not to trip, and skids onto his knees. They hurt as they're scraped but he doesn't care because there's Aaron, a surprisingly small cut on his eyebrow, face and hair grey with dust and his body buried under the rubble, massive stone bricks and wood across his chest and feet. All that's visible to Robert are his shins, one of them soaked in blood, his head, neck and the fingers of one hand flung out to the side. Robert immediately grasps it in his but Aaron weakly shakes his head and tries to point. 

“Liv. Liv.” he keeps saying and Robert frowns.

“Liv's in school, baby. She's alright. Listen, we need to get out of here, it's not safe, and I can - ”

Aaron coughs, struggling. “No. No, she's here. She was in here, with me.”

Robert is sceptical, thinking that Aaron might be in shock because his shoulders are trembling pretty hard, teeth chattering and goosebumps springing up underneath the torn arms of his hoodie, but he follows the line to where he's still pointing across the room, where the sofa would've been. A gold starfish clip glints in amongst the dirty aftermath of the chaos and Robert's stomach falls away again. A souvenir from their Wales trip, Robert bought it for her to try and start properly making amends. He remembers how she glanced at Aaron and he'd nodded once, wordlessly suggesting to her to think about cutting him some slack.

“Please,” Aaron cries and gasps like that one word causes him so much pain.

It springs Robert into action. “Liv!” he shouts, panic-stricken, “Oh god, no, no, no!”

He picks his way across the room, the settled dust beginning to swirl as he feels the heat of the approaching fire get closer to them, to find Liv laid out on her stomach, a breezeblock pinning her hand down to the floor and her hair a mess. He pushes her hair gently out of her face, grimacing when some of it is sticky with blood. There's blood at her temple, so much he can't really see if the cut to her hairline is deep or not. Head wounds always look scary, no matter the severity, so he moves on quickly to check the pulse in her neck. It's still there and thankfully strong against his fingertips. The explosion and resulting bump to the head must've just knocked her out, he hopes. Aaron's still croaking her name in distress, calling out for Robert to tell him. He's torn because it's not good to tell him that Liv is hurt, it might send him into actual medical shock, but he knows it's worse to keep it from him.

“Aaron, she's alive! She's hurt her head and her hand doesn't look too clever,” He heaves the block off her hand, her fingers slightly misshapen from the pressure, most likely broken, all the way up to her wrist, “but I think she's gonna be alright.”

He hears Aaron sob in relief and grunt like he's trying to get up. Of course it's fruitless and Robert rushes back to him on his ruined knees, even though he doesn't want to leave Liv. “Wait. Careful. Here, on the count of three. 1, 2, 3...”

Working together, they free Aaron's legs but he cries out and hisses when he tries to wiggle out from under the fallen debris blocking over his chest. Robert moves level with his hips to see what else he can do to help when he sees it. There's more blood, a lot more than he first realised, pooled along his left side and dark in colour. Something metal shines through the startling amount of red and is possibly a thick, structural nail poking out of Aaron's abdomen. Robert inhales sharply and his eyes widen because it means that there's no way he can move him. He gingerly pulls up Aaron's formerly grey top, the one with the buttons he really likes on him, to see the rest of his stomach is mottled with terrible bruising. He shifts under Robert's analysing gaze, so he squeezes his shoulder and swallows down his worry.

“Don't – don't move, baby. Stay still.”

“W – why? What – what's wrong?” he asks faintly, brow creased. “My side, it's – it's killin' me,”

At a loss for what to say, he tries to be comforting and proactive at once. “Right, just sit tight. I'm gonna get some help - ”

“No!” he exclaims then hisses through another painful breath, tears starting to leak from his eyes, tracks on his dirty face. “Robert...stay.”

Robert strokes his forehead with his thumb, smoothing out the distressed lines, before his eyes roll. “Aaron?” he says then when there's no response, adds more frantically, “Aaron! No, no, no! Aaron, can you hear me?”

“Robert...” he blinks awake at the raised urgency of Robert's voice, hazy eyed and laboured breathing and manages a thin smile, “Robert...I...love...”

There's a rumble and then a crack and it feels like the flames are suddenly on top of them before there's another loud bang. Fractured flooring above them splinters completely and crashes down on them. Robert carefully throws himself over Aaron, his blazer covering Aaron's face, as a second, fire-borne explosion rocks the leftover foundations of The Woolpack. 

A full minute later and as everything settles again, Robert sits up and cups Aaron's tear-stained cheek, his chin wobbling as he fights back his own tears at seeing Aaron's face blank, eyes closed. It hurts that he looks peaceful.

“Aaron. Please don't leave me.” he whispers, eyes screwed shut against the emotional onslaught, “I love you too.”

Shouting interrupts him from trying to wake Aaron again - “Fire brigade! Is anyone here? Call out!” - and Robert obeys, waving them over and sitting down hard, bent in half, coughing and spluttering as some try and eradicate the fire that's now in further parts of the pub and others move to take care of Aaron, with the paramedics. Eventually, the smaller fire is out and everyone focuses on recovering Aaron from the wreck. Despite not wanting to leave him, he knows Aaron would want him to take care of Liv, so when they hoist her out of the pub first, Robert staggers out after them. At the first sight of them, Vic and Chas come running.

“Is that Liv? Is she alright?” Vic asks.

“Where's Aaron? Did you find him? Robert, where is he?” Chas fires at him at the same time.

Hit with the fresh air and the knowledge that he had to come out without Aaron next to him, Robert feels himself sway dangerously and if it wasn't for Vic popping up under his arm he would've fallen over. He sits down on the back of a free ambulance at his worried, clucky sister's insistence until someone asks him if he wants to go with Liv. His selflessness doesn't extend to leaving Aaron completely and Liv's starting to come round, disorientated and with a broken wrist and a couple of broken fingers the worst of her 'long-term' injuries, so he knows she'll be okay without him. 

“Me and Adam'll go with her,” Vic offers, reading his guilt perfectly.

Once they leave and Robert's dismissing a paramedic assessing him because the worst he's got is skinned knees and a filthy suit, Aaron's finally brought out on a stretcher, with an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. He's strapped down and they've done what they can for his side, but because of the nature of his injury, it's surrounded by bloodied gauze but still visible.

Chas rushes over, fighting to grab his hand. “Oh my god, Aaron! Love, I'm here! Can you open your eyes for me?”

His eyelashes flutter but there's no time for anything more as they bundle him into the ambulance, Chas and Robert climbing in after them. The journey is a blur of the siren blaring and he and Chas sitting powerless beside each other, united in love for the man lying motionless with them. It reminds Robert of the time Aaron fell and hurt his ankle. That'd had been the first time his instinct to protect Aaron had really kicked in with some force and in full view of Chas no less. He didn't care then and he certainly didn't now, not now that things with Aaron were better than ever and Chas had somewhat accepted that they wanted and needed to be together to be the best versions of themselves.

It didn't seem fair because back then Aaron had been running to punish himself and, whilst the fall had been an unfortunate accident, it was still a by-product of his self-harm. This time, it was all so out of the blue that when things were finally going how he wanted, he'd been dealt such a blow. 

As they arrive, Robert and Chas can do nothing but stare into A&E as he's wheeled past them and into the room they cannot go into, the doors flapping closed. Robert looks through the glass at the doctors, nurses and blood and his Aaron in the middle of it, an innocent victim left clinging onto his life. He tears his eyes away at the sound of quick footsteps to see DS Wise.

“I came as soon as I heard,” he tells Chas, expression always so impossibly kind around her. “How is he?”

She unfolds her arms from tightly holding onto her body. “Oh god, Jason,” she mutters, tearful and collapses into his arms for another wave of sobbing.

As Jason is doing all he can to reassure her, a nurse materialises and gently asks Chas if she minds coming to tell them Aaron's details while they wait for the outcome of the critical hour. Robert meets her indecisive gaze and nods silently, knowing there's not much else any of them can do whilst Aaron is still being tended to. He looks back at the door and closes his eyes when he hears Chas and DS Wise follow the nurse. It's the worst thing he could've done because now all he can see is blood on his hands, on his suit, damn everywhere, all of Aaron's blood that he's losing and taking him further and further away from Robert. He shakes his head, trying to snap out of it, until he opens his eyes again and looks down. The thing is, the blood is real. He feels the tears well up and he's too exhausted to fight the breakdown. He kicks the nearby wall a few times, barely feeling it, before he covers his mouth with his hand. He smells the blood, the way it transfers so easily onto his face, like he can never get rid of it, and he slides down to the floor. His tears fall for a lifetime, until he feels like he can cry no more. He only knows how to deal in anger and lust, pushing hurt away and burying it in the dark corners of his mind to never be revisited and this is like repeatedly prodding the rawest sore spot. He's wondering where his family is to focus on something else when a touch to his shoulder makes him look up. Andy peers down at him, face set in open concern. Robert feels his own crumple.

“I'm so sorry,” he gasps, genuine empathy finally pouring out of him for the magnitude of what Andy must've gone through with losing Katie once he saw the reluctant love his brother still had for him in his eyes.

He told Aaron that he couldn't lose him, couldn't bear it, and he'd be right. 

A nurse and a doctor approaching has Robert scrambling to his feet, Vic, Diane and Adam standing with Andy. They introduce themselves and check that they know Aaron, but Robert happens to glance through the doors again. The bed is bloodied and wires and wrappers are everywhere, equipment tangled, but there's no bed, no Aaron. He shakes his head and stumbles backwards. With no Aaron and the staff here, talking to them, instead of continuing to work on saving Aaron's life that can only mean one thing.

“No. No, he can't be,” he croaks, turning to them wildly. He feels sick to his stomach as his family start to murmur, confused by his outburst. “He was talking to me. He can't just - ”

“Mr Dingle - ”

“Aaron,” he cuts in, saying it for himself as much as them, can scarcely believe what's happening.

“Aaron lost a lot of blood through the injury to his side. He suffered massive internal bleeding - ” the doctor explains, but Robert tunes her out.

Bile rises in his throat and he folds his palms over his ears, not wanting to hear anymore. He daren't close his eyes because he knows what he'll see, so all that's left is to lash out. He points a finger at himself and crowds into their personal space without shame. “I was shot last year! You fixed me, you can fix him! _Fix him_!” he yells, red-faced, when they don't immediately respond. He hates how reasonable they're being. His boyfriend, _Aaron is dead_ and they're letting him get in their faces. The thought makes his head spin and his heart hurt like he's been cut open right there, a twisted knife to add to the neat gunshot scar.

“Robert, please,” Diane urges, tentatively touching his arm, “You need to calm down, pet. Listen to what they have to say.”

He ignores her, but changes tack. “I am begging you,” he says shakily, putting his hands together. “You have to do something, anything. He's everything to me. Please.”

“I'm sorry - ” the nurse starts sympathetically and he growls, beginning to pace in front of them. He makes a decision quickly.

“I want to see him.” he says, cutting off his kind, empty words, “Take me to him. Where've you put him?”

“Maybe you shouldn't, not yet,” Vic pipes up timidly from behind him.

He looks at her, utterly shocked. There's tears in her big beautiful eyes too and he thought she of all people would understand. They've lost their parents, she had to watch Aaron lose Jackson and now Robert's lost Aaron. He would've thought she'd have put herself in his shoes, what it'd be like if she lost Adam, even if Robert still thinks of him as a bit of a pillock sometimes.

“Don't you get it? Vic, he's dead.” she flinches and he hates himself for it, but he can't worry about that when his grief is suffocating, slowly torturing him. “Dead and I'm never gonna talk to him again. Liv's lost her brother. I need to see him, I need to promise to look after - ”

The doctor clears her throat awkwardly. “I'm sorry, but if you'd've let me finish earlier...Mr Dingle - Aaron - has _not_ passed away.”

Robert blinks, heart skipping a beat. “W-what? But you said – the bleeding – I thought - ”

“Believe me, Aaron's injuries are very serious and my colleagues are currently in theatre with the aim to stop the bleeding and to remove the debris lodged in his side, but he is still alive. I'm sorry if we gave you an impression that said otherwise.” The relief makes Robert want to be sick anyway, breathing out heavily, as he clutches Vic's shoulder and shakes his head at them. The doctor smiles, sheepish. “I'll let you know when I have more news. Sit tight. Be hopeful.”

Chas reappears with Jason's arm around her, still completely shaken. “The nurse just told me – What's this about surgery?”

Overcome with the swing from despair to joy, Robert leaves Diane and Vic's sides to wrap Chas in a hug, surprising himself, her and everyone else. He can't stop repeating, “He's not dead, he's not dead,” into her hair.

Now that Aaron will be admitted to a ward once he is out of surgery, Vic finds a nurse on duty near her station and asks her to check Robert over. He insists he's fine and tries to leave with the others to a quiet room to wait, but Vic gives him those sad eyes and he sighs, relenting. Thankfully in five minutes, his sister is placated when it's declared that he has minor cuts and bruises, mostly to his knees, and a slight case of smoke inhalation.

“Have you had any shortness of breath?” the nurse asks as she removes the blood pressure cuff from around his arm.

He looks at Vic standing by the foot of the bed he's perched on, biting her nails. He knows she's worried about what the fire and his heroics might've done to his lungs, especially the one damaged when he was shot. Apart from a few coughing bursts, he's had a lucky escape. He smiles at her slightly, his eyes still red from his earlier meltdown, then shakes his head at the nurse. “No, nothing. Like I told her, I'm fine. I just need to see my boyfriend's sister. Do you know where I can find her?”

She walks off to find out for him and when she returns and says she'll take him there, Robert nudges Vic towards where the others are, promising that he just needs to see for himself – and for Aaron, he thinks with an inward smile – that Liv is okay and he'll be with them all again in a second. It's not like Aaron doesn't have enough support as Robert is sure the Dingle brood will descend on the hospital in a heartfelt swarm like always.

The nurse escorts him then leaves it him to it once he's outside the cubicle. He licks his dry lips and pushes down his emotion before he withdraws the curtain and sees Liv for the first time since she was carted off in an ambulance ahead of her brother. Her hand, up to her wrist, is in plaster already, there is a neat row of stitches near her hairline for a thankfully not too deep cut and her general appearance Is unkempt and smudged with dirt but, most importantly, she's living and breathing. She looks so, so young and vulnerable. 

He walks forward and lightly strokes the okay part of one of her fingers of her injured hand that's poking out of the plaster. It makes her twitch, ticklish, and her eyes flutter open, groggy. Robert smiles faintly down at her.

“Hey, trouble.”

“Robert?” she squints, confused, “Where's Aaron? What happened? Where am I?”

“Shh, take it easy.” he soothes, gently squeezing her shoulder to keep her calm. “You're in hospital, Liv. I'll explain more later. How're you feeling?” 

She ignores his question and tries to sit up, becoming more alert. “No, Robert, tell me now – where's Aaron?”

“Fine.” he sighs and straightens up as he watches her fight, knowing it's no use denying her. Stubbornness certainly runs in the family. “There was a fire at Rakesh's flats and it spread to the pub. That's all I know right now. The doctors took Aaron to theatre. He's fighting, Liv.”

Despite the news that there's light at the end of the tunnel for Aaron, his honesty shocks her. Her lip trembles and she's helpless to stop her tears, scared to death that she could've lost her brother and not known until this moment. Realising it's overwhelmed her, Robert catches around her shoulder properly this time and inhales when she falls into his body, her head leaning into his chest. “It's gonna be okay, I promise ya.” He continues to hold her until her tears subside and she's tired herself out. He knows the feeling, it having settled into his bones the second he knew Aaron was hurt. He risks kissing the crown of her blonde head then lets go after another big squeeze. The last thing he wants to do is leave her again, but it'll be good for her too. “You should get some rest, okay? I've told the nurse to come and get me if they decide to move you out of here for whatever reason. You're not alone.”

She nods tiredly, barely arguing and it makes Robert's heart clench painfully because that's how he knows she's not herself, not having a jokey word for him. But then she opens her eyes and frowns thoughtfully .“Did you say it started in the flats? The fire?” He nods, slightly confused why she's asking until he remembers that Aaron was going to view one of the flats today and how he had found Liv under the rubble in the pub. “I thought I smelt something funny, when we went there today. Me and Aaron, I mean.”

His first thought is something to do with gas and obviously he doesn't know for sure, but he would still like to have a word with Rakesh. “I'm gonna kill him.” It slips out before he can censor himself and he shushes Liv when she tries to ask him more questions. “Sleep. I'll hopefully have more news on Aaron when you wake up.”

She glares half-heartedly at him fobbing her off, but is too drained to put up a real fight. He waits for her to close her eyes and her breathing to even out then leaves, determination in his stride. He's heading back to the room everyone is occupying when he spots the Sharma family nearby, plus Megan and baby Eliza. He sees Jai first, his clothes torn at the leg and suffering an injury he must've sustained in the blast, maybe protecting his kid. An image of earlier flashes through Robert's mind, of Priya and Rakesh standing with the other onlookers outside the flats and the pub and he sees red. The rage fills him up until he's run down the corridor to them all, grabbed Rakesh by his shirt and shoved him into the wall. The thought of Aaron and Liv being in danger because of some botched job under his control makes Robert's blood boil.

“Do you have any idea what you've done?!” he roars, “Aaron could've died 'cause of you!”

Hearing the commotion, everyone that came for Robert and Aaron tumble out of the family room. When they realise that one of their own is the centre of the attention, there's cries of his name and urging him to stop, but they fall on deaf ears because he has to make Rakesh realise what he stands to lose. 

“I – I don't know what you're talkin' about, Robert, I swear!” he implores, eyes flickering to his shocked family, as they try and break him free.

Robert resists and clenches his jaw, praying for patience as he stares into his face, nose to nose, hoping he could tell if he was just trying to cover his arse or not. “Liv and Aaron were at your flats today. Liv smelt something but didn't know what it was. Was it gas? Well? _Was it_?”

“I don't know! The – the firemen are still – they're investigating,” he says clumsily, frightened. 

“If Aaron dies from this...” he threatens, even though he's almost sure he won't, but the vindictive part of him loves how the colour drains from Rakesh's face. It feels like a small victory. “His blood will be on your hands. D'ya hear me?” He feels arms come around his elbows and looks to see that it's Andy and Adam as they pull him away. “I'll make you pay, Rakesh! Even if it's the last thing I do!”

The drama over for now, everyone piles back into the quiet family room and Robert is pushed into a seat, where he immediately bends his head towards his knees. The adrenaline of confronting Rakesh is rapidly wearing off and he just feels done with everything again. All he wants is Aaron out of surgery and to be able to see him smile. He deserves to smile.

Someone catches him around the neck and he looks up into Andy's eyes. “Rob, come on, you've gotta stay strong.”

“I know, I just - I need him so much.” he impulsively confesses.

After looking taken aback at his brother, Andy tuts to lighten the mood. “Soppy git.” He smacks Robert's head with his palm, reminding him of their father, but in a way that's unusually bereft of ill feeling. “You've changed.”

He smiles, watery. “Yeah,” he whispers, “I have.”

\----

A week later and Aaron's still in hospital, but getting out in a couple of days. Robert can tell that Liv's excited in own her muted way because living with him at the B&B, courtesy of Diane of course, is starting to grate on both of them. She needs her brother and Robert needs the love of his life.

After Aaron was moved into intensive care on the first day of his recovery and Robert was told that he needn't stick to his side like glue, he, Chas and Liv caught a taxi back to Emmerdale. They realised within a few seconds that they couldn't just waltz back into The Woolpack like nothing had happened. The scene that greeted them was still a mess, to put it lightly, and clearly not in a liveable condition. They found out that Cain and Moira had reluctantly taken Charity and Noah back in at Butler's Farm and Vic had offered to put Robert and Liv up at Keeper's. He knew he couldn't do that to her, not after she'd put up with him for so long after the shooting, so he said yes to Diane instead because he didn't have much choice and dragged Liv with him, figuring he was responsible for her with Aaron holed up in hospital. It was fine, he had Chas in the same place, and found himself almost feeling sorry for her. The Woolpack had become everything, especially since the emotional devastation that was Gordon's time in all their lives, and Robert didn't know if it could be saved. For her sake, he hoped so.

Like everyday since he's been admitted, Robert is visiting Aaron and, this time, Liv's in tow.

As soon as he gets into his room, he kisses him on the forehead. “How's my fighter?”

Aaron scowls. “A lot happier if you stop callin' me that.”

“Be glad I missed out 'little'.” Robert smirks, joking. He sits down at Aaron's bedside, checks Liv isn't paying attention to them as she stands by the window, looking out, and leans in to kiss his boyfriend gently on the lips. He pulls back shortly afterwards and smiles. “Hi. How are you really?”

Aaron presses his lips together, pleased. He nods. “Good. The bruises are changing colour again. I look like I've got jaundice.”

Robert laughs and he joins in and Liv looks like she's not sure what's so funny because the truth is it's not that funny actually, except for the fact that they're in love and alive, surviving. 

Their laughter peters out and their eyes meet in the comfortable quiet. Wanting to have a moment with Aaron alone, Robert sends Liv on an unnecessary coffee run for him and plies her with an extra tenner to get some food for herself in the hospital canteen. She looks between them, calculating what they're up to, then shrugs like she doesn't care and leaves, head bowed towards her phone. Robert shakes his head, fond despite himself, and reaches out to grasp Aaron's hand in his, mindful of the IV drip taped to the back of it as he strokes his thumb across his knuckles. It's a surprisingly affectionate gesture, but he can't help himself lately and he hasn't looked a gift horse in the mouth since he's not been stopped from being a bit more touchy-feely, like Aaron senses he needs the reassurance of touch. Besides, they're a couple, whether they like to think in those terms or not, and Robert came so close to losing him. He doesn't like to think about that too much, now that they're over the worst, and prefers to look towards the future. He takes a deep breath in and remember the last time he was outside in the corridor and felt such despair over what he thought was Aaron's fate and then the white-hot rage towards Rakesh. Now it's different and, as cheesy as it is, all he feels is gratitude and love. Aaron's here and Liv's alright and they could still work towards being a family. His heart clenches as he realises he wants that with every fibre of his being, no doubt about it. He ducks his head and looks at Aaron through his eyelashes, whose gaze is still fixed on him like he's thinking the same, and knows he just has to say it.

“ - Robert, I love you.”

“ - Move in with me?”

Robert blinks, mouth falling slack slightly and Aaron's eyebrows rise. They've spoken at the same time, but still managed to catch the gist of what the other said. “What?” they say in unison again and Aaron pulls a grumpy face as Robert clenches his jaw as if he's annoyed, but he can't keep his grin down. “I got there first,” he boasts.

“You're such a liar.” Aaron grumbles, “So, liar. Did ya hear what I said?”

“I did,” he feels so light inside, to have Aaron's love confirmed in word, but he wants the answer to his question too, “and are you gonna answer my question?”

He rolls his eyes, like it's an inconvenience that Robert is making a show of commitment right now. “Yeah, I'll move in with you.” he sighs.

Robert pulls his phone from his barbour jacket to show Aaron some of the properties he's vaguely been looking at for something to do in the evenings or in between meetings for Home James and keeping an eye on Adam at the scrapyard, but he's caught unawares by Aaron pulling him in by their joined hands to surge forward and kiss him. It's usually Robert that ends up holding him somewhere near his face, so there's something exciting about Aaron's hand at the nape of his neck and the insistence of his kiss. Robert hears a smack, but ignores it in favour of redressing the balance after some time and he cups Aaron's thickly bearded face and their tongues tangle. It's probably inappropriate for a hospital visit and, true to intrinsic form, he'll blame Aaron if he has to and yet he also knows that he missed his boyfriend and they deserve to snog like they've just been reunited. 

When they break apart, Aaron uses the grip he subconsciously obtained on Robert's forearm to subtly tell him that that's enough and Robert happily returns to the idea of pointing out their housing options until he realises that his phone is missing from his hand. He looks down at his feet and his eyes widen as he sees his phone, screen side down on the floor, almost underneath the bed. He goes to drop to his knees, but only manages onto one before Aaron is shuffling to the edge of the bed to help. Robert keeps hold of his hand to make sure he stays put. He's dressed in his pyjamas, formerly a dark t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, since he got out of the regulation hospital gown as soon as was medically possible. Robert knew he felt more at home in his usual sleepwear, more like he was on the mend, and suddenly he wanted nothing but to take Aaron back to the village and join him in his soft grey bathrobe. 

It makes him currently feel a bit overdressed, despite being quite casual in jeans, a navy shirt and the blue jumper that always has Aaron staring between his toned arms and blue-green eyes. He does it right then, like he aches to kiss Robert for longer with a flicker of his gaze to his eyes, to lips and back again. It evokes the memory of sitting on a park bench in York and how much they've overcome since and his eyes soften as Aaron grins like sunshine.

“I feel like I'm being proposed to by a farmer,” he blurts out.

Robert looks between his stance and Aaron and laughs, eyes sparkling. “I thought we were taking it slow,” he quips their own little running, private joke, “but maybe if you're interested, when that time does come in future...Will a farmer's son do?”

He swallows at the accidental, indirect mention of his background and his eyes tell Aaron to brush it off as terrible humour, to remind him that he doesn't think about the future, even if Robert knows that's not strictly true anymore. Liv has forced him to re-evaluate many things already and one of them has been what he wants, what's best for him and Liv, and Robert has watched him find his feet, ready with a steadying hand if need be.

“I s'pose.”

He looks bowled over at Robert insinuating something like that, regardless of his nonchalant response, and Robert's about to insist that he's mucking about by turning on the charm to save face when Liv comes back.

“I hope you're decent because look who I – ” She stops talking abruptly after she's entered the room as her eye travel to the scene laid out before her. She's got company in Diane and Chas and they too seem to be fixated on Robert's position. “Oh. Oh god. What's going on?” she asks loudly.

Shocked at the increase in audience numbers, he attempts to get up because old habits die hard. “It's not what it looks like!”

“Robert!” Aaron frowns.

“No, I mean, I wasn't doin' anything _down there_ , I was just - ” he babbles helplessly, flustered. Chas looks down at him on one knee and Aaron keeping him there with their hands still clasped.

“You're proposing?” she says, faintly, like she might actually faint.

“Sorry, no.” he replies sheepishly and raises his retrieved phone in his hand, thankfully not cracked. “I dropped my phone.”

“Oh, thank god!”

“Mum!”

“It's too soon, Aaron, love.” she explains to her son's protest. The fact that Aaron tells her off more often for her snide comments makes Robert inwardly smug. He'd like to show it, but he knows Aaron loves his mum and he doesn't want to get in the way of that, not anymore. “You're not even back on your feet yet - ”

Robert's mouth twists like a reflex, offended. “I didn't exactly mean right this minute anyway - ” he says, trying to get a word in edgeways.

“Maybe we should all just calm down,” Diane suggests kindly.

“I am calm, Diane,” he smiles and stands up properly, still looking at Aaron. “So calm in fact, I asked Aaron to move in with me.” He glances up at Liv, Chas' hands rested on her shoulders. “What d'ya say?”

“You wanna know what I think?”

“Of course. I meant it, we're a family, the three of us.” he says, hoping she can see how fond he's become of the idea. It's all Aaron's damn fault.

Liv's shock at being included in Robert's plans gives way to a thoughtful pause and then a shit-eating grin. “Well then, I guess this family's gonna need a massive house with a million rooms,”

Robert rolls his eyes but there's a smile also and he turns back to Aaron, expectant. “I can't say no now you've got her on side, can I? Yeah,” he nods shyly, “let's do it. Let's get our own place.”

Robert pulls him in for a kiss to seal the deal, reminding himself to keep it chaste in front of the parents and their moody teenager. As soon as they part, Diane is the first to rush in and congratulate them both. The joy on her face means almost as much to Robert as Aaron's happiness and safety and he distracts himself from her proud gaze by accepting Chas' more sedate celebration and Liv trying hard not to let on about her excitement of finally getting a room of her own that's completely hers, always and forever. At one point, Robert looks over her head to Aaron and they stare at each other like the good old days but openly now, both thinking the same thing and in tune with each other.

That this is the start of the rest of their lives.


	2. Epilogue

Robert clasps Aaron's hand in his and he knows he's pausing too long, but he's just caught up in his own thoughts and taking stock of all that's happened in the last few weeks.

Following on from asking Aaron (and Liv) to move in with him, Robert got the best estate agent on the case. Once he'd decided that he'd had enough of temporarily staying at the B&B, no matter how generous Diane was being, it was easy to get motivated and move on. On strict input from Aaron and Liv, he had a place in the village that was perfect for the three of them within hours.

The Woolpack wasn't so easy to replace. Luckily, the front section had held up and so the back only has to be rebuilt. It's going to cost a pretty penny, but Robert is glad for everyone who holds the place dear to their hearts, including him, that some things in life _are_ salvageable. It wasn't the same story for Rakesh's flats. A fair few of them had burned to the ground, but the Sharma family are resourceful business people and Robert has no doubt that they'll bounce back. He doesn't keep a grudge against Rakesh for endangering Liv and Aaron's lives either, as the investigators looking into what happened found that the fire started because of an unseen fault in the electrics in one flat, creating a domino effect into the others. Combining that with old pipework and an unfortunate gas leak in the pub and The Woolpack had got caught up in the mess. He'd simply needed someone to be angry towards at the hospital and his neighbour bore the brunt of it.

Liv's fine, especially since Aaron arrived at the B&B as the finishing touches are put to their new home. She still has a couple of weeks until the plaster is taken off her hand and wrist, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her. If anything, she's used her broken bones to her advantage, getting the likes of Gabby and Jacob to sign her bright purple cast with silly, probably inappropriate messages and ordering Robert around like he's her personal slave. Most of the time he grumpily tells her where to go, but sometimes, when she's crabby with how itchy it is or missing her brother before he came home, he'd let her pick the film they watched on a movie night or something else as simple and pure. Compromise did wonders for their relationship and they welcomed Aaron back to Emmerdale with open arms, glad down to their souls that he'd make a fully recovery. The nasty injury and resulting surgery to his side, cut straight through his abdominal wall, was going to leave another scar, but he'd tentatively smiled at a worried Robert and quipped that it'd join the collection. Robert can never be sure that he'd not self-harming or that he won't in future, but they've been through enough that focusing on the good things goes a long way to making sure Aaron doesn't get the urge to return to the darkest recesses of his mind.

Tonight, Robert has paid Eric more than he needed to persuade him to let them have the B&B's dining area to themselves that evening. Robert's trying for a bit of romance because he thinks he and Aaron, mostly Aaron, deserves it. He looks at Aaron's wary expression the longer he says nothing and then down at their loosely linked hands. He loves Aaron's hands, work-hardened and capable and incredibly gentle when he strokes at Liv's hair. Robert still believes what he desperately told the doctor at the hospital. Aaron _is_ everything, everything he didn't know he needed.

“I've changed my mind,” he admits quietly, finally.

Aaron tenses, glares. “What? Are you joking me? But I thought - ”

Robert holds onto his hand tighter as he feels him try to pull away. He's so gorgeous in the candlelight, shadows playing across his face and his eyes a deep sapphire that he always hopes to wake up to. Dressed in his favoured navy shirt, a lot of him blends into the darkness but as long as Robert looks up and sees him staring back, he feels how much this man means to him, so much that it's almost too much to bear. His life has changed beyond recognition in the last two years and all because of one person. Robert didn't think that was possible outside of fiction and it keeps the spark in his heart from dying out. Commitment. Passion. _Love_.

“Marry me, Aaron.” he breathes, blurting it out gracelessly.

Blue eyes widen and he runs his free hand over his mouth. “You...what?”

Encouraged that it's not an outright No yet, despite his clumsy proposal, Robert grabs his other hand from his lips and squeezes, desperate for him to understand the depth of his feeling since he can tell Aaron, no more hiding and hurt. “I don't want to wait anymore. I thought I did, god forbid I thought I agreed with your mum that it'd be too soon,” Aaron throws him a dark look that he grins at in reply, “but I don't care if it is. The day of the fire, I thought I'd lost you. The doctor was telling me all your injuries and I thought that meant - “ He pauses and swallows hard, the ghost of sickness of thinking Aaron wasn't alive briefly coming back into his throat. He shakes his head, “I don't ever want to have regrets with you. I want to know that I've tried my hardest and done my best to always make you happy. You're all I want and need and I want everyone else to know it too. I want them to know that I asked you and you _chose_ me, so...Aaron, will you marry me?”

Robert realises then that Aaron is crying. He must look alarmed because Aaron laughs self-consciously and wipes his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt before he nods. “Yes, Robert. I will.”

Inhaling a deep breath and letting it out harshly through his mouth, Robert pulls him to his feet and cups Aaron's face to give him the kiss of his life. His head is running a mile a minute, like a showreel of their history, and he presses his body closer as fingers clutch to the arms of his suit jacket and don't let go. He's never going to let go.

After they've stood by the remains of their dinner at a table for two than longer is considered decent, Robert kisses his nose lightly and smooths his thumbs down the line of Aaron's beard.

His face is still scrunched from the gesture, but with a thoughtful air. “You didn't get down on one knee,”

“I did at the hospital,” Robert counters, smirking.

Aaron rolls his eyes, “And everyone got the wrong end of the stick,”

“Besides, I thought you prefer me down on two knees instead? Because, y'know, that can be arranged - ”

“Not the point, Robert - ” he interrupts.

Robert stops joking around and blinks at him. “I didn't take you for a traditionalist, baby.”

“I'm not, but if you're gonna do something, you might as well...”

With a smile, Robert yanks him in by his shirt. He still looks good in a suit. “Come on, we've got some celebrating to do.”

He doesn't care that the B&B is small, but he is grateful that Liv is on a school trip he has no interest in remembering the details of in this moment, instead of down the corridor like usual. He leads Aaron upstairs to their tiny room and they share another languid kiss until he pats Aaron on the arse and shoos him into the en-suite. He has an ulterior motive that has nothing to do with making sure Aaron completes his nightly routine and he grins at how stunned Aaron is when he comes out of the bathroom to find Robert in his rolled up shirtsleeves and loosened tie, down on bended knee with a velvet box in his palm.

“When've I ever done anything by halves, eh?” he says, fluttering his eyelashes at him seductively. He slowly opens the box to reveal the ring both of them knew would be in there. It's a simple band with the tiniest, glinting embedded diamond. He hopes Aaron will wear a wedding band too, so he wanted this to be different, special on it's own.

“But – but – ” Aaron fish-mouths, at a loss for what to say with Robert playing him like this. “Do I look like the kinda bloke to you that's into jewellery?”

He laughs and stands up, voice lowered. “I was hoping this might be the exception. Especially if I wear one too, let every nosy busybody in this flippin' village know that we're together, always.”

He sways closer, their bodies like attracted magnets, and a shiver runs through him as Aaron's eyes drop down from his eyes to his mouth and back again. When they're a hair's breadth apart and Aaron has his hands on Robert's waist, with the box between them, he pulls his head away an inch.

“Is this turning you on? You've changed,” he marvels.

Robert remembers Andy at the hospital, telling him the same thing. “Because of you.”

His lip caught in his teeth, Aaron finally lets him put the ring on his finger. He says it's just to test it out, to see if he likes it, but Robert kisses him before he can take it off and moans when his left hand automatically comes up to the back of his head. It might be a falsehood, but it's as if he can feel the metal and how right it is that it's there. They tumble onto the bed, frantically undressing each other and giggling like naughty schoolboys, invigorated with their second chance at happiness.

The ring stays.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


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